


It's Always You, John Watson.

by wafflenull



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: M/M, Series 4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-20
Updated: 2017-04-20
Packaged: 2018-10-21 03:36:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10676898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wafflenull/pseuds/wafflenull
Summary: When John is visiting Sherlock after the whole ordeal with Culverton Smith, and as he's about to leave, he hears Irene's ringtone. Basically, they finally talk to each other and feelings are exposed.





	It's Always You, John Watson.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ficlet ever, so it's not the best, but I tried and apparently, I'm also sinking deeper into the fandom life.
> 
> The final line is inspired from a tumblr post, which was too perfect not to incorporate. It's a line Sherlock's already said, it's the title as you probably guessed, and it's just so telling of Sherlock's true feelings, so I thought I'd include it.

John turned as soon as he heard the sound, that sound, the moan. He remembered it clearly, from a case he gave the name A Scandal in Belgravia. The case that, or so he thought at the time, told Sherlock how he really felt. He remembered standing in the Battersea station and talking to The Woman. What was being said couldn't be mistaken for anything but John's hidden feelings for Sherlock. Well, apparently, those words could be mistaken for something else by none other than the world's only Consulting Detective, the cleverest man alive.

He turned to see the face that he saw nearly every day ever since that first day in the lab, and if he didn't see him that day, he would see him in his dreams. Sherlock's face was a calculated calm, trying to seem nonchalant. This only made John's thoughts run wilder. Did they have regular contact? He had been on his phone a lot lately. Did they strike up a relationship? She did show interest in him and he did, too. No, that doesn't make any sense and at the same time, it did. He struggled to find the reason for hearing the sound that came from the Sherlock's phone. He finally came to a conclusion. "Happy Birthday."

Sherlock looked a little startled but also proud and as if he knew that John was always capable of deductions just as much as him. "Thank you, John. That's very kind of you."

"I never knew when your birthday was." 

After a few more words were exchanged, John breached the the topic that seemed illogical and logical at the same time. "Do you go to a discreet Harvester sometimes? Is there a," he paused, unsure of how to express what wanted to say. "Night of passion in High Wycombe."  
Sherlock looked exasperated now, frustrated with John. "Oh, for God's sakes. I don't text her back," Sherlock said, drilling his ever-changing eyes into John's.

"Why not?" John asked, before he even knew what he was saying. "You bloody moron." He let the anger seep into his voice. "She's out there. She likes you, and she's alive. Do you have the fist idea how lucky you are? Yes, she's a lunatic, she's a criminal, she's insanely dangerous--trust you to fall for a sociopath. But she's," he paused. "You know..."

Sherlock, growing more and more solemn during John's speech, asked, "What?"

"Just text her back," was all John could say. He could feel his insides tying around each other, but knew that Sherlock deserved happiness, even if it was with somebody else.

"Why?" Sherlock asked. All John could think at this was how Sherlock always had to make things difficult. "Because High Wycombe is better than you are currently equipped to understand," John said, looking away. He couldn't look into his eyes while telling him to go and love somebody else. 

John cut Sherlock off as he recalled one his cases, trying to render the idea of High Wycombe insane. Sherlock, finally done with John's insistance, said, "As I think I have explained to you many times before, romantic entanglement, while fulfilling for other people—" "—would complete you as a human being," John finished.

Sherlock looked at John, no doubt seeing the pain in his expression. "That doesn't even mean anything."

"Just text her. Phone her. Do something while there's still a chance, because that chance doesn't last forever. Trust me Sherlock: it's gone before you know it."  
The meaning of his words only dawned on him after he finished. He hoped that maybe Sherlock would misinterpret it as something about Mary. Apparently, no such luck.  
Sherlock got out of his chair and walked up to John. He hesitated for a second, before laying his hands on Sherlock's arms. "John," he said. He looked troubled, and John, naturally, misinterpreted this. He tried to wriggle out of Sherlock's grasp. 

"You don't need to do this," John said, trying to free Sherlock from feeling any obligation.

"Yes, I do and I want to." After this Sherlock looked more determined, clearly seeing the importance and necessity of what he was about to say. He pulled his arms back to side. "You said that it's gone before you know it, but," he paused again. John was hanging onto every word Sherlock was saying, hoping for something, anything. "Well, I assume by 'it', you mean relationships, then you are false. At least, in my case and in your case. Most importantly, our case." John struggled not to laugh at the inadvertent pun on their "case" and Sherlock's job. "I won't leave, so then I won't be gone, and 'it' won't be gone."

That wasn't exactly what John was hoping for. At least, he knew they'd always be friends.

"Yeah," John said, disappointment in his voice. He was stupid to have thought that maybe, just maybe, Sherlock might feel the same way about him. He tried to turn and walk away, but Sherlock's hands flew back to John's arms, holding him in place. Sherlock sighed with great force, struggling to say what needed to be said.  
"Why must everyone be an idiot," he said under his breath. Joh cringed in Sherlock's arms and Sherlock's gaze snapped up. Not a great thing to say in this situation, Sherlock thought to himself.

"I only mean, why must it be so hard for people to understand that, well, for you to understand that," he paused again. "That I...I love you, John Hamish Watson."  
John didn't seem to register what Sherlock just said or as Sherlock thought, he didn't care. He quickly pulled his hands back. "Umm, I mean, purely in a friendship," he struggled to find an end to his sentence. The true meaning of the words still hung in the air. He started to turn around and go to his bedroom, where he kept something that was stronger than a seven percent solution.

This time is was John's turn to hold Sherlock in place. "I love you, too. You know, in a purely friendship," he said, smiling greatly. "Well, maybe not purely."  
Sherlock smiled one the rarest kinds of smiles that graced his lips, a real smile. John leaned in, clearly for a kiss, and just before their lips touched, Sherlock whispered, "It's always you, John Watson. You keep me right."


End file.
